The aides said the plan - under which the RNC would determine the format and moderators for each of their approved forums - would take too much power out of the hands of the candidates and likely add more debates to a calendar already stocked with them.

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“This is a matter that should be left to the campaigns,” said a staffer to one likely hopeful. “The RNC should be focused on Democrats and Obama. The ownership over this belongs to the campaigns. We can work with one another to come to an agreement.”

An adviser to a second probable candidate called the party’s proposal “well-intentioned” but “misguided.”

“It will not rectify the concerns campaigns have expressed over the debate process as it will increase the number of debates,” said the adviser. “It seems like there are easier ways to help the RNC with its financial condition.”

A representative of a third campaign added: “It would contradict the idea of having less debates.

Asked about the concerns, RNC communications director Sean Spicer indicated that the committee welcomed the response and wanted to work with the campaigns.

“The reason we’re going through this process is to get our candidates’ feedback on what would make for the most successful outcome of the primary season,” said Spicer.

As part of their plan — outlined in a one-page memo sent to the campaigns Friday night by RNC debate committee chair James Bopp, an Indiana committeeman — the debt-racked party would require each of the candidates who agree to participate in the sanctioned debates to raise money for the RNC at fundraisers held in conjunction with the forums.

The proposal also suggested that each of those candidates who participate in the debates would have access to the party’s in-house lists of voters and donors. After an adviser to one candidate balked at such a deal, Spicer clarified that all eligible GOP hopefuls would have access to their lists.

But that the list-swap was even included in the plan was another sore point for the campaigns, who indicated that the idea never came up in the original meeting all the candidate representatives had last month to first discuss debates.

“The exchange was never talked about,” grumbled one candidate adviser.

Various news organizations, including POLITICO, are planning to hold GOP presidential primary debates over the coming months.

Just elected in January, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is facing what amounts to the first intra-Republican squabble of his administration, trying to balance the wishes of the likely GOP White House hopefuls concerned about a glut of debate invitations with those of committee hard-liners like Bopp who want to use those concerns to pick a broader fight with news organizations over who has control over the quadrennial forums.